Currently, pleasure craft boats such as speedboats, cruising vessels, and yachts are often used for watersports such as water skiing and wakeboarding. Typically, these watersports involve the boat traveling at a relatively high velocity. As is known, a boat is unable to simply apply brakes and stop. Instead, a boat must cut or reverse its throttle to reduce its linear forward velocity. In addition, a boat's ability to turn involves adjusting the direction of a rudder that creates a turning resistance against the water or involves adjusting the direction of the screws on the engine itself relative to the line of travel of the boat. In turning the boat, the turning radius of the boat is dependent upon the boat's speed. This is so because the adjusting of the rudder or direction of the engine screws turns the boat physically but does not directly change its path. The path is only altered by altering the momentum of the boat which is overcome by the resistance of the water against the keel or other hull shape of the boat.
During watersports such as water skiing or wakeboarding, a person on a ski or wakeboard, for instance, grips and holds a rope tethered to the boat. The speed of the boat allows the person holding onto the rope to be pulled along behind the boat while using the ski or wakeboard to ride generally atop the water's surface. The wakeboarder or skier is often not directly behind the boat, as the person will attempt to ride across the wake of the boat or over ramps and the like, as well as being to a side of the boat as the boat turns. During this activity, the boat pilot or another on-board person must watch the skiing or wakeboarding person whose only method for stopping is signaling the pilot or releasing the grip on the rope. If the person falls or otherwise releases the rope, the boat must return to the person for retrieval. Oftentimes, the only signs of the fallen person's presence in the water are the person's life vest and ski or wakeboard, for instance.
A boat pilot must be keenly aware of all surroundings and instruments. Because a boat operated at a high speed has attendant issues with its ability to stop and/or turn, the margin for error in reacting to another ship or craft, such as a much faster jet ski that may cross the boat's path, is relatively small. In addition, the pilot must be aware of a person, such as a skier or wakeboarder, who is being pulled by boat in order to recognize the person has fallen, quickly locate the person, and provide protection to and retrieve the otherwise stranded person.
Similarly, lights, radar or other navigation equipment, instrument displays, speakers, or other accessories may be mounted on a boat. In each of these instances, it is desirable that the accessory is mounted in particular position. Accordingly, there has been a need for an accessory bracket that mounts or holds accessories or instrumentation out of the forward and peripheral lines of sight of a boat pilot. There has been a need for a bracket for a rearview mirror which mounts out of these lines of sight while also providing a clear view of a person, such as a skier or wakeboarder, who is being pulled behind the boat. In addition, there has been a need for a bracket to mount navigation equipment so that a standing pilot can easily glance at the equipment without significant deviation from watching the boat's environment and path. Lights are desired to be mounted so that the light may be cast upon the interior of the boat, cast outboard toward the direction the boat is traveling, cast outboard and rearward to light up the path of a skier or wakeboarder, or the field in which a person may be fishing, or cast outboard in any direction to investigate the environment of the boat or other vehicle. In many instances, then, it is desirable to have an accessory bracket that can mount an accessory in a particular orientation, and preferably an accessory bracket that is adjustable mounted.